Buzz Marketing Campaign – T-Mobile

This may be the nuttiest viral and buzz marketing campaign I have seen yet. T-Mobile had a literal “Talk till you drop” contest in it’s home country Germany. (also known as Deutch Telekom in Germany) This looks like a re-enactment of some of their commercials from a while back. It also reminds me of old time Skate-A-thons and Dance-A-Thons they used to have until people either fell asleep or fell over. I guess this is the modern replacement for those social activities? Talking on a cell phone? I guess the youth and kids of today really do prefer conversational activities to physical activities.

W00T!! Shopping Site

My favorite new shopping site is woot!! They have one item featured of the day and it is at a rock bottom price and when it’s gone, it’s gone. So people buy fast! It’s a feeding frenzy because people know they won’t be able to find it anywhere else. And they feature everything from technology and computer stuff, to household and kitchen appliances to some really weird stuff. It is entertaining even if you aren’t buying anything. I am hooked now on looking to see what the new items will be and seeing what the prices are.

I am not really in the market for most of what they sell, so it is mostly entertainment for me, although I do know people who have bought things there before and been very happy with it. What I wonder, is how long this can keep up with new sites I discover every day? I wonder how all these new small sites can keep an audence and sell enough to stay in business? It just seems like there are more than any one person can keep track of now. I guess that’s why we have google right?

New Buzz on what’s Cool – The Cool Hunter

Part of the basic function and purpose marketing and advertising is getting the word out to consumers that you have something new and we hope, something cool. TheCoolHunter.net is a site that tries to discover the neatest new things before they’ve been advertised and marketed to the public. So you get the inside scoop on new stuff that nobody has. This is kind of cool in an age where trendsetters are king and it is hard to be an individual when everything is mass produced and manufactured in China by the billions. So, these things they find, ideas, products and fun things to do, are posted there from people all over the world before they have hit critical mass. Some cool things they had listed there today were these stylish laptop bags for women (it used to be really hard to find a stylish laptop bag that looked feminine) and these wearable space invaders. Check out the cool hunter for more new stuff daily 🙂

Web 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0? What is the difference?

I’m not sure exactly what Web 3.0 is yet. I am pretty cool with Web 2.0 as it relates to Web 1.0, but it hasn’t been that long on #2 yet. I would have expected to notice more evolutionary change if they were going to label it a whole new version…I think it’s just a marketing ploy to try and push the envelope really, because Web 2.0 wasn’t new enough to generate buzz about. And we all know that internet businesses make money off of Buzz, so they like to keep those exclusive wheels turning. If more than 10K people know what something is, it’s pase, and time to come up with something new and groundbreaking and very exclusive among geeks that secretly want to be billionaire entrepreneurs.

Web 1.o was all about static content, one way publishing of content without any real interaction between readers or publishers or eachother. It was also known for frames, page re-loads every time you want to see something new or update it, and really bad usability. It also wasn’t a trackable web. Blame Google for changing that. Search in my opinion is from 1.o but is still relevant in 2.0 and 3.o.

Web 2.o is more about 2 way communication through social networking, blogging, wikis, tagging, user generated content and video. It’s also about combining it all in the same space/page via ajax, tracking via javascript and pixels, and better usability via lots of white space, and a cleaner layout, smaller fonts and a lack of frames. Some people put the word disruptive in this category but in all honesty web 1.o was plenty disruptive too. Remember when you discovered the Yahoo! directory listings. You were pretty excited weren’t you? Yes you were, admit it. The API ability for people (who are programmers) to mash up data feeds and databases to cross reference information from multiple sources in one page or service is also a web 2.0 favorite. Trust me, looking for a condo on craigslist is 100 x easier on craigslist mashup maps.

Web 3.0 is curiusly undefined. Some say it has something to do with AI and the web learning what you want and delivering you a personalized web experience. All that archiving on someone is a bit scary legally and just creepy if you ask me. It also may have to do with the web getting off your computer and going with you to more places, like through your phone, an iPod, a TV, your watch or your car. Google wants to be accessible anywhere to organize ALL your information and send you ads as you try and fall asleep on the train. (we will ignore them then too) Others say it has to do with “semantic” web or search meaning natural language that a non programmer would understand. This is something that has been promised since 1995 and like visual search, hasn’t really happened yet. I think that is a ways off. You need an analyst’s brain downloaded to do that.

So, I am just jumping on the hype bandwagon now…so I know what’s coming, before it hits me in the next disruptive clash.

AT&T, Cingular and the Cell Phone Wars

The marketing world scratches its head every once in a while when they see a blatant waste of money in advertising. No agency is going to turn down money to do what a company wants, even if its a complete waste, but you know they are going to laugh behind your back. This is what happened when last fall AT&T Wireless was bought by Cingular and they spent hundreds of millions on the “raising the bar” campaign where they re-branded ATT wireless to Cingular. Hey, I even made $100 bucks off that ad buy. Then this January they announce that after wiping the name ATT off the phones, sites and people’s minds, they were being bought by AT&T and they would change the name BACK again with their largest campaign EVER. Which was because they are beginning to confuse the fuck out of their customers. We don’t know how much these campaigns spent, but we do know that in 2005 Cingular spent 1.3 Billion and ATT spent 1.6 Billion on advertising. So combine those, add in a little more and Voila! 3 Billion to advertise in 2007.

I think all this renaming stuff is bullshit most of the time, and companies do get suckered into buying a lot of untrackable media under the guise of getting more “brand awareness” but after you’ve done the direct response, pr and local relevance type marketshare aquiring, there’s nothing left but branding to do to go national, global, and rule the world. And that takes a lot of clams. So this name change snafu was a huge waste of money they could have used to pad their executive’s pockets, or possibly return to customers by lowering their rates for a few months. What a crazy marketing plan that might be?

On a personal note, I got my first cell phone in 1999 and it was a Nokia like this one on the left and it was from AT&T Wireless. They had fantastic customer service then, and I bought different faceplate covers for my phone. We thought we were so cool. Next, I bought the smallest phone ever Nokia model in 2002. It was only about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide and you didn’t know if it picked up your voice from your ear and people would put it by their mouth to talk if they were new to using it. Then I traded up in 2004 to this style Nokia which had a flip lid with a 2 thumb texting querty keyboard and my first cameraphone. Very swish, and it impressed people for 2 years. Then in 2006 I chose a Treo 650 (from a gagle of smart cingular phones) for the email and web access and the querty keyboard again. All in all I’ve never switched providers even though they’ve switched on me. I know that’s rare, but I haven’t had serious issues yet, just minor annoyances. But I really would like them to keep a name (any name) for a while.

Update: Apparently AT&T’s yearly media spend is 3.4 BILLION. 

 Bonus! If you want to know why ATT is evil and sucks ass see my latest post.

Amazing, what you can get for free these days

I am amazed at what companies will give away to you just to get you to sign up for a monthly service. Even if what you’re getting for free is worth more than the monthly service is itself. Take free cell phones for example, they are commonly given away with cell phone service, and now even the new and recent styles of phones are free with a sign up. I guess they calculate the value of you staying with them for a year or two, and it nets out ok, but for us its great, because you have to pay for the service anyway, so why not get a new phone for free? Yes, its a marketing technique, and sometimes an affiliate marketing strategy, but in this case I think the consumer wins when they really get something of value that they need. And that’s when marketing plans work, when they re relevant to the consumer.

Right now wirefly has 3 of the hottest phones out ight now available free with signup. Which is cool. They have the razr V3, the blackberry pearl (great for texting and text messages) and the sony w300i. They’re all cool, but I like the razr the best. Its so thin! And they have connections with other cell phone providers so you can get on a network that you know and that you have all your friends on. Hello, free anytime minutes within network!

If you are someone who likes to get good deals on cell phones, and doesn’t want to go from store to store looking and comparing all the different phone plans, wirefly seems like a great site. They have everything there in one place, and you can choose your phone, your service and your extras and options. Its kind of the google of the cell phone world. They have 9 cell phone providers and 13 cell phone manufacturers to choose from. I think most anyone could find something there to fit their needs.

Marketing Trend Update: Mobile

I’ve been hearing a lot about mobile phone marketing latley and its not making much sense.

According to eMarketer marketing to people on their cell phones is starting to take off and they project a lot of spending in the next 5 years. I don’t think that its possible to do a lot of what people do online now on a cell phone so I don’t think this is a successful strategy for most companies. I think the companies trying this right now are probably just looking to “say” that they understand it and do this to advertise to differentiate themselves from other companies, but they don’t truly. (unless youre in Japan)

The things I think might be good for cell phone web uses:

1. Finding food & drink when you’re out and about.

2. Maps when you get lost, help me find directions, where I need to go when driving and how to get somewhere using public transit if I don’t know how to get there.

3. Maybe the click to buy thing eventually, but its a big step from cash, to plastic cards, to gadgets buying things…

4. Entertain and inform me somewhat. I’d like news updates, I’d like to be able to customze them by interest, and if I’m out and about, I’d like breaking news. Hello newspapers… Don’t try though to put a music concert on my cell phone, be consious of what works on a 2 in by 2 in screen with limited resolution.

5. Text friend updates/maps. Without being like big brother, it would be cool to know when a friend was near by, btu I don’t want to know their exact location at all times, that’s creepy.

So if you’re working for or with a company that is saying that mobile phone marketing is the next big thing, take it with agrain of salt, and look to the data to see what works and doesn’t and then go that way.

Link Update 3.9.07

There are so many great new sites out there every day. Here’s what I discovered this week:

1. Blueprint Blog (the next 3 are courtesy of Blueprint)
2. The cutest purse ever (where was this when I needed a new one last month?)
3. A pretty good cooking blog
4. Urban Traveler Blog
5. The total internet audience grew 10% in 2006.
6. Freaky Weird
7. Upload your flickr photos to this gallery. They displayed one of mine.
8. Ning – build your own social network
9. A fun social experiment
10. Spin the wheel of lunch….
11. A new flickr toy
12. Edit Photos online with Snipshot
13. Yet another traffic ranking and metrics site. This one doesn’t have a lot of sites registered yet though.
14. An online collaborative whiteboard site. Skrbl
15. Another online photo editing site. Picnik
16. Top companies for customer satisfaction
17. Google Phone List
18. Creating a chart from google spreadsheets
19. Another Youtube offshoot.
20. Tumblr – although I have enough blogs already
21. Twitter – mobile updates from web and to web
22. Space Invaders Widget for your Google custom Home Page
23. Bob Woodruff returns to TV
24. Build your own fiat 500
25. web 2.0’s top 1000 list. Soooo many sites to explore there.

iPhone not really

What a bummer…they announced the iPhone and its soooo lame.

Cisco somehow got the rights to use this name before Apple and they made an internet phone that uses skype to call fom anywhere. While that’s a good idea, stealing another company’s brand identity with a bait and switch like this is childish, immature and makes me completley uninterested in buying this otherwise interesting product. I would be interested in an internet phone, but by stealing Apple Buzz by naming it iPhone was just wrong. Now I hate it instantly. Go home cisco, no one needs your cheap half assed marketing around here.

The Catholic Show Podcast

I think the word podcast has finally made its way into most American’s vocbularies. Over the past 3 years the number of podcasts has increased exponentially because of the ability of the iPod to take so many song/audio files digitally with you easily and because of new affordable software that makes editing audio and video much easier for the average person out there.

Its gone so far into our culture that now very specific niche audiences producing podcasts for their specific demographics. One I recently ran across was The Catholic ShowPodcast. t peaked my attention because I am a bit of a lapsed catholic, having been raised catholic years ago. I gave it a listen and its not nearly as preachy as I thought it would be. I think its worth learning more about these ideas to understand them better. Whether you end up changing your beliefs or not. Its always good to fully understand the perspective.

If you are looking to get back in touch with god or just Christian Religious information in general check them out, download The Catholic Show Podcast and listen. I have found that a lot of people who used to shun the idea of religion in their life are going back to it now as adults. I think it may have something to do with middle life or maybe having kids? But it seems to be consistent among a lot of people I know.

More links from the 2.0 world

1. Artvertising – what happens when 2.0 goes offline

2.  What is this? would anyone really want their name on a site called “Too Spoiled”?

3. JellyFish – fish like shopping, JellyFish masters it.

4. Podlinez – get podcasts on your phone! Just dial the number and listen. What a great way to avoid confrontation on the train 🙂 

5. TIME is back with the Person of the Year edition again. This time YOU could be the person on the electronic billboard in Time Square.  Check it out and upload your picture here at impoy.com.

6. 99 Ways to tell a radio story. Well there may be more than that, but check out those posted so far.  (and upload one yourself too)

7. Banana Shortage in Australia. Weird things happen. 

8. Most of us will never be on TV, but if you ever get the opportunity, here are some good tips to follow. 

9. This is just funny.

10. People taking pictures of the election festivities. Time to fire up the West Wing DVDs again. We’re in blue country again.

11.Ze Frank’s got a new look for his site. Apparetly those duckies are paying for some design and development time. 

12. Mobile Play – for those who don’t want to listen to podcasts on their phone. Its convergence allright, but through the multipurpose route not the 15 gadgets in 1 route.

13. Magnatune for MP3s – we are not evil? Are you sure?

14.  Box.net Online storage for everything. If you trust someone else with your stuff…ok, we hope the servers won’t go down and that they believe in extreme redundancy.

15. Not sure why this is supposed to be cool, but people seem to like this bitty browser because its a browser in a browser. Somedays, I’m just not geek enough to get some of this stuff.

16.  In case you had any doubts…Google really is evil. 

Mobile Ringtones

Mobile ringtones are cool. They are a huge business these days because there are no good ring tones available as a default on your phone when you buy it. You HAVE to get an aftermarket ringtone. This site MobileSidewalk Ring Tones has the best ring tones and a really easy sign up process. Its cool because all you do is enter your phone number, get the text that it sends you, enter the site and choose your ring tones. Its supported by all the major cell phone service carriers so it should work for just about everyone. I have to go look for a new ring tone now, everyone has the same cingular default one that I have and its weird to hear it and think my phone is ringing all the time. Check out mobile sidewalk.

Mobile Internet

If you’re like me you think that surfing the web on your phone is like surfign the web ala 1996. Its slow to download and the pages have no detail and not a lot of room for text or images. Its an ultra simple interface awithout a lot of usefulness yet.

Somehow though there are people out there surfing the net for things over their mobile phones. What they are doing with them I don’t know. but here’s a break down of what phones they are suing to access the internet. My guess thatthe palm Treo is in the “other” category. 

Quoted From comScore MMX:

Nokia Leading the Way
The study found Nokia to be the leading brand of phone for those who regularly access the mobile Web across five of the six countries examined, capturing share ranging from 50 percent in Italy to 22 percent in France. Only in the U.S., where Motorola has the greatest share (26 percent), is Nokia pushed into second place, with a 17 percent share.

____________________________________________________________________________
Mobile Internet Share of Market as Measured by Penetration by Phone Brand   
September 2006   
U.S., UK, French, German, Italian and Spanish Online Populations   
Source: comScore Networks — Mobile Tracking Study   

Phone Brand      U.S.   France   Germany   Italy   Spain   UK   
———–      —-   ——   ——-   —–   —–   —
Nokia            17%    22%      32%       50%     39%     39%    
Motorola         26%    13%      22%       18%     14%     14%    
Samsung          10%    21%       8%        8%     17%     17%    
Sony Ericsson     6%    14%      12%        5%     11%     13%    
Other            41%    30%      27%       19%     20%     17% 

Biking

My boyfriend is an avid biker. He is happier biking around than driving and gets places quicker and more easily when he zigzags through traffic. We even end up biking on the beach here in Chicago in the summer. Beach Cruisers are a great bike for riding on the beach. They are a stylish and durable bike that combines vintage classic style with a modern functionaliy. Check them out 🙂

Computer History

I have been a geek for a long time. Like since people had VCRs that were 2 pieces and you carried one along when you video taped with the camera. Or since computers took up your whole desk, ran on DOS with a green screen and cost $3,000. Lots has changed over the years and this site chronicles it with ads that have been archived over the years and are now on YouTube online. What a funny way to look back at how the computer has changed our lives.